I don't know if I can wait another day until Thanksgiving! Already, visions of sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie are dancing in my head. If I had to make a list, right this minute, of all that I am thankful for, Thanksgiving Day itself would be right on top. I love everything about this holiday rooted in celebrating our blessings and showing love and gratitude to friends and family in my very favorite way: cooking and sharing really delicious food. As much as I look forward to this holiday every year, I am often guilty of giving so much of my attention and energy to the preparations for the celebration, (shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating...), that I am too absorbed in the details to notice and appreciate the abundant, simple, happy moments that this day brings.
This year, I'm determined not to get lost in the details! What can we do to really be present in our holiday celebrations this year, to notice and feel and appreciate all the goodness around us, when we still have potatoes to mash, and turkey shaped place cards to make?
What if we practiced a little mindfulness this Thanksgiving?
You know, mindfulness...being present in the present. Noticing what you are feeling, seeing, tasting, touching...making a conscious decision to slow down the rushed, routine, thoughtless, way of cruising through our day, and to really notice and appreciate.
Thich Nhat Hanh captured mindfulness perfectly when he said, "Live the actual moment. Only this actual moment is life."
Here are some simple mindfulness ideas that I'm going to give a try this Thanksgiving. Try them too, and I'll bet that you will notice an abundance of reasons to be truly thankful this year.
A Mindful Thanksgiving
-When you're stuck in the kitchen peeling potatoes, or rolling out pie crust, resist the natural instinct to plow through, intent on finishing the task, and instead, really notice the process. Notice the bright orange of the sweet potato, or the spicy, warm, scent of cinnamon. Notice how the bread dough feels between your fingers as you knead it. Tune into the moment and appreciate it for exactly what it is.
-Be present in conversations. Take advantage of having friends and family gathered near, and really engage in conversation. Make eye contact. Really listen. Don't let the dishes, or your cell phone, divide your attention.
-Take time on this day of thankfulness, to focus on all you have to be thankful for. Make a list, in your mind, or on paper, of the little things, (and big), that make your life happy: The bright orange leaves on the tree in your backyard, your favorite sweater, kind words, apple pie, laughter, home, family. Thinking of your blessings will turn your mind to what this holiday is all about, and keep you from focusing too much on less important things. Plus, if you take time to be grateful, you will have a happier holiday! It's true! Gratitude fosters happiness.
I read about a study done by Dr. Robert Emmons, a professor of Psychology at UC Davis in California. He studied over 1,000 people, asking some participants to write down five things that they were grateful for every day, and the rest to write down five difficult things, or "hassles", that they had dealt with in their day. Just the simple act of turning their focus from the bad, to the good things that happened each day, the group who wrote a gratitude list each day were shown to have, " a 25 percent improvement in overall health and wellbeing in comparison with the group focusing on what had gone wrong each day." ("8 Wellbeing Benefits of Practicing Gratitude", londonmindful.com)
All right, I'm ready for the most memorable and happy Thanksgiving yet! I'm armed with a killer recipe for creamed corn, my family, some seriously cute decorations, and a little mindfulness.
Today's a new day; let's make it purposeful!
Kara
(For more ideas on what you can do to focus on gratitude this Thanksgiving, check out this cool podcast, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/item/gratitude_practices
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